On Sunday, November 23, 2025, Hayli Gubbi, a volcano in Ethiopia’s Afar Region, erupted for the first time in recorded history. Scientists think the last time this volcano blew was somewhere between 10,000 and 12,000 years ago, but records from this remote corner of the world are essentially nonexistent. Just because a volcano is dormant doesn’t mean it won’t unexpectedly erupt.
Hayli Gubbi sits at the southern end of the Erta Ale Range, which is part of the East African Rift System; the area where the African continent is literally tearing itself in two. The eruption sent an ash plume rocketing to roughly 45,000 feet (13,700 meters) into the sky, which is well into the altitude range where commercial jets fly, typically between 33,000 and 40,000 feet.
The blast started around 11:30 a.m. local time, and had largely finished by 11 p.m. that same day. The force of the eruption ripped open Hayli Gubbi’s summit, carving out a second crater about 650 feet (200 meters) across, plus a smaller third crater. People in Semera, a city about 120 miles (190 kilometers) south, heard the explosion and felt the shock wave. Looking at the satellite data revealed that the plume carried roughly 220,000 tons of sulfur dioxide mixed with ash and pulverized rock.
Ash from Hayli Gubbi reached India in 35 hours
The ash plume was carried across the Red Sea and Arabian Peninsula, covering Yemen and Oman before dropping into southern Pakistan and northern India. Reports suggest that the plume had gotten to Delhi by 11 p.m. on November 24, covering roughly 2,566 miles (4,130 kilometers) from its source. That’s around the same distance as New York to Los Angeles, and it did that in just 35 hours.
Volcanic ash is a threat to aircraft, since the ash particles can clog the intakes of jet engines. At high altitudes, the silica deposits melt and form a glass-like residue which leads to engine failure. Air India canceled 11 flights, and Akasa Air grounded its Middle Eastern service. India’s Directorate General of Civil Aviation even issued advisories to pilots to report any ash encounters.
Hayli Gubbi is a shield-type volcano that typically produces gentle eruptions, making this explosive eruption uncharacteristic. The eruption falls under the category of sub-Plinian, characterized by powerful vertical columns and widespread ash dispersal. If anything, it highlights how unpredictable volcanoes in the East African Rift System can be.
Villages buried under ashfall
While the eruption was sudden, it wasn’t completely unexpected, thanks to the early-warning signs of volcanic eruptions. Nearby, the Erta Ale volcano experienced explosive activity on July 15, along with a magma intrusion that traveled southeast along a dike toward Hayli Gubbi. Fissure vents showed up along the rift, with the closest group just 1.2 miles (2 kilometers) from the volcano’s crater. Earlier this year, satellite observation also recorded ground uplift. Between July 25 and November 18, a strange white cloud also appeared within the crater. These anomalies suggest magma movement within the crater, setting up this eruption.
The worst affected were the towns that dealt with the ashfall. Afdera, a village 17 miles (28 kilometers) west of the volcano, was covered with volcanic ash. Residents reported symptoms such as difficulty breathing and heavy coughing, resulting in emergency medical personnel being deployed to the region.
The ash wasn’t the only problem: The eruption also ejected around 220,000 tons of sulfur dioxide into the air, which can impact local air quality. The eruption demonstrates that dormant volcanoes are unpredictable, even after 10,000 years of silence.
